Pillow Lap Desk

A pillow lap desk can make it easy to work when you are away from a traditional desk. Users can work:

While sitting in a car

While commuting by train/subway

While sitting in an airport or on an airplane

While waiting for class to start

At home on the sofa, in bed, or on the floor

While lap desks need to offer a hard surface for working, many people prefer the comfort of a pillow lap desk. Their cushion raises your work where it's easier to view and yet rests on your legs, abdomen, or chest without digging in, transfering heat from an electronic device, and so forth.

Of course pillow lap desks aren't just useful for computer work, they are also handy for other things; from hand work while sewing, reading, drawing, note taking, and more.

Two of the most commonly used materials in a pillow lap desk are microbeads and foam. Those filled with microbeads tend to conform to the shape of your lap and can stay in place very well. Those with a foam base tend to be a bit more rigid providing an even more stable work surface and more protection from any heat.

Making your own pillow lap desk is a possibility if you don't see what you like here. In most instances, you can make the top surface of wood. Balsam wood, masonite, plywood or something similar are certainly options. They can be painted to suit your tastes, coated with polyurethane or covered with clear contact paper to protect the finish. Of course wood working plans can also be found on line to make a variety of lap desks. This page is one such resource.

Next, a pillow is made to fit the board. The pillow is often an inch or two smaller than the work surface. The video below provides some tips for anyone who hasn't sewn a basic pillow before. The final steps of tufting the pillow shouldn't be required however. The fill is better made from micro beads or bean bag fill which can be found and purchased online. This fill provides a cushion that conforms to your lap better. The fabric selected should be heavy, durable enough to endure years of use, soft enough not to irritate the skin, and yet not too slippery either. Heavy cottons are often a good choice. If glueing or stapling the pillow to the board, this can be done before the filling is inserted and the final stitching is done to close the pillow.